This Saturday night Auburn Football opens a new chapter in it’s history with 2 new coordinators, and it looks like they will play 2 new quarterbacks. The jury is still out on whether a 2 QB system can work in D-1 football. One might argue that the last two National Champions, LSU and Florida, implemented some type of 2 QB system during their title runs. These first two games will be auditions for the full time QB job for the year. It’s great to have 2 guys who can come in and move the ball down the field, also allowing you to develop packages with both of them on the field. In the long run; however, it is not the right strategy to have throughout the season. I think it’s important to the psyche of the starting quarterback to know that he’s the starter and the leader of the football team. LSU and Florida did play two quarterbacks, but Flynn and Leak were the starters and knew they were the starters throughout the whole season.

With all the hype of the quarterback competition, you almost forget about our opponent this week, Louisiana Monroe. The War Hawks (6-6, 4-3) are coming off a mediocre season in Tony Franklin’s former conference, the Sun Belt, where their highlight was the highly publicized 21-14 victory over PaRole Tide in Tuscaloosa. They return #22 Senior RB Calvin Dawson who in his first 3 years has put up (666, 1,210, and 1,414) yards rushing getting better each year. He had 159 yards against Troy last year, helping to keep Franklin’s offense off the field and wear down the clock. I expect they will try to do the same thing against Auburn, however expect Auburn’s D to force a lot of 3 and outs and put the ball in the hands of the 2 dueling QBs. Troy’s QB last year against ULM was 29 for 49, for 288yds and 2 TDs. He completed passes to 10 different receivers.

If Auburn can spread the ball out and use Brad Lester, Ben Tate, and Mario Fannin, we should see a lot of big plays from our Tigers. Our players are just superior athletes than the ones they will be lined up against. With all the excitement of it being the season opener and 87,451 fans drooling over the new schemes and possibilities, I think Auburn will want to put on a show. The defense should be flying all over the field, getting out built up aggression and finally getting to hit someone in a different colored jersey. Look for Auburn to jump on the War Hawks early and never let up, letting the back-ups take over in the middle of the third quarter and keep watching to see a glimpse of AU’s future playmakers. Prediction: 49 – 7 Auburn.

I actually ran into Julio in the spring recruiting. I said hello to him. I said, ‘Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you at the end of August.’ And then he got out and got in his Escalade and drove off. That’s serious. And then I went over and watched (Alabama freshman) Burton Scott at Vigor High School at the track over there, and Burton Scott was running around. He went and got in his Escalade out at track practice and drove off. So I’m familiar with those two guys.